Thread: I forgot to bring this up

So I was disinfecting a razor with your standard bathroom rubbing alcohol, and it reminded me of a few months ago when I got some of the alcohol on the scales and I didn't clean it off right away. When I came back to that razor the alcohol had started to eat away the scales just like acetone would have. I totally destroyed those scales.
I guess if it kills scales it will kill germs very well.
Anyone else seen this before?

what kind of scales was it?

Originally Posted by Absur

what kind of scales was it?

I believe it was celluloid.

Most solvents will dissolve celluloid.

Celluloid is very finicky stuff. Even some plain water from the hot tap if it is hot enough will damage it. Sometimes I think looking at the stuff too long has ill effects.

I've never used rubbing alcohol for disinfecting razors. The only thing I have used is Barbicide.

Those scales were probably about to "go" anyways. It is quite finicky stuff and just like us humans...the older it gets, the crankier.

As far as disinfecting...most bad cooties or bugs can't live outside of the human body longer than a few minutes & hours at the most...especially if it's trying to live on carbon or stainless steel. Direct contact with air is quite bad for them. Soap and water kills most of the bad stuff known...its killed more bad stuff than any antibiotic made. This is why I am quite comfortable disinfecting a razor with alcohol (90+%) and shaving with it. Between air, natural light (UV), alcohol, and soap...I'm not worried a bit. Disinfection is one of those things that can be debated forever like politics & religion...disinfect as you see fit, just remember that precious edge.

I use 95% rubbing alcohol after every shave on all of my razors to help clean off any excess shaving cream (I don't rinse my razors under water), remove any excess water and, though it's not really a concern, help clean the razor. I have not had any ill effects from it, but I use Q-Tip's dipped in alcohol, so there isn't much going onto the blade. I always make sure the blade is angle downward so if there is any excess it will drip off and not into the pivot or scales.

I dip my razors in a mix of 90% alcohol and camelia oil after every shave. I usually get some on the scales when I'm doing it and haven't had a problem yet (granted one of my razors has stainless steel blades, but either way). That said I've been at this for only a few months so you can take that with a mountain of salt!

All rubbing alcohol is 95%Ethanol. But the reason it happened was because of the way I apply it. I open up the razor and place it on a piece of paper towel then poor some on the blade then I cover it with the now wet paper towel and wait 10min. Tons of time for a bit of alcohol soaked paper towel to eat the celloid.